At the Mutua Madrid Open 2024 press conference, Elena Rybákina reflected on her semi-final loss to Aryna Sabalenka, expressing disappointment but acknowledging her opponent’s strong performance. Rybákina, who is the defending champion in Rome, plans to take a break before heading there and discussed the challenges of adapting to different court conditions.
Rybákina remained uncertain about predicting the final outcome between Sabalenka and Swiatek but was excited about the prospect of a competitive match. She also clarified that the ball she missed at 5-4 in the semi-final was just an ordinary one, and she made the wrong shot angle choice.
Rybákina valued the rivalry with Sabalenka and Swiatek, as it pushed her to improve her game, and she planned to work on coming to the net more frequently in future matches.
Elena Rybakina in 2024
Ranked no.4, Rybakina played her last match on the 2nd of May when she lost to world no.2 Aryna Sabalenka 1-6 7-5 7-6(5) in the semifinal in Madrid (draw).
This season the Kazakhstani achieved a 30-5 record. The Kazakhstani conquered 3 titles in 2024 in Brisbane, Abu Dhabi and Stuttgart. Rybakina was the finalist in Doha and Miami.
